Dry weather sewage discharges soar as water companies face scrutiny

During the first five months of 2026, water companies in England and Wales recorded 7,280 suspected illegal spills of raw sewage into rivers and seas during dry weather, according to a whistleblower's findings. This number represents an increase from 8,576 dry spill discharges reported in 2025. The Environment Agency, tasked with regulating water companies, only began mandating the reporting of such incidents in 2025.

Robert Forrester, an Environment Agency officer, claims that the pollution is worsening despite the regulator's promise of stricter action. Forrester argues that these spills are almost always deliberate and illegal, driven by water companies' focus on making money and meeting sewage discharge quotas. South West Water, which serves Devon, Cornwall, and parts of Dorset and Somerset, discharged raw sewage 1,299 times during dry weather in the first five months of 2026, down from 2,451 times in all of 2025.

Critics, such as Ed Tyldesley, a Liberal Democrat county councillor in north Devon, say the situation is worsening, with South West Water discharging sewage for 299 hours in just one week during a period of drought. Water UK, the industry's trade association, maintains that these figures are unverified and that no spill is acceptable.

They are investing heavily in reducing storm overflow discharges and improving monitoring systems. The UK's Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) has condemned the practices, stating that the failure to address this issue is unacceptable and that the government is taking action to hold water companies accountable.